According to testimonies reported by the Israeli media, the conditions of captivity of Doron Steinbrecher, Romi Gonen and Emily Hand during their 471 days in the hands of Hamas were particularly trying. According to information broadcast by Kan 11, the three women were moved several times, alternating between an apartment in Gaza City, under constant surveillance by militants, and periods in underground tunnels deprived of natural light. Israeli media report that the hostages were used as human shields during their transfers to humanitarian complexes. During their detention, they allegedly learned Arabic and were forced to adapt to extreme conditions, including medical procedures performed without anesthesia. “I didn’t think I would come back, I was sure I was going to die in Gaza,” one of them reportedly confided.
According to these sources, Emily Hand and Romi Gonen shared much of their captivity. Emily, who had already had two fingers amputated during the October 7 massacre, also suffered from a leg injury. Romi, who has first aid training, is said to have looked after her throughout their detention.
The media indicate that exposed to the media during their captivity, they were able to follow the mobilization of their loved ones. “We saw your struggle, we heard our families fighting,” they reportedly said. It was also through this means that they discovered the scale of the atrocities of October 7: “We understood that our families had survived, but we discovered that we had lost many friends.”
-According to testimonies, the most critical moment was their transfer to the Red Cross, evoking “mortal fear during the transfer phase”, due to the intimidating presence of armed men and the Gazan crowd.
Twenty-four hours after their release, Kan 11 reported that their condition was “stable and generally good.” However, health professionals emphasize that the extent of the after-effects, both physical and psychological, remains to be assessed.
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